Clamping device for gravity meters



ai@ E93 1 BARRY CLAMPING DEVCE FOR GRAVITY METERS Filed'Marh 7, 1947 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jy L am IA. BARRY 2,69

CLAMPING DEVICE FOR GRAVITY METERS Filed March 7, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /62 INVENTOR.

2e 25 .-L BY 22 -s| 33 o 2 1 52; e' \\\RZ l M Arnay.

Patented July l0, 1951 2,560,326 CLAMPIN G DEVIC`E FOR GRAVITY METERS Adelbert Barry, Houston, Tex., as/sgnor, by mesne assignments, to vStandard Oil Development Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application March 1, 1947, Serial No. 733,257

6 Claims. (Cl. 'J3-382) The present invention is directed to a device for clamping and releasing a mass which is suspended from a universal joint or a iixed pivot point. More particularly, the invention is directed to an apparatus for clamping and releasing by remote control a mass (for example, any device for measuring changes in the earths gravitational or magnetic eld) which is suspended on a gimbal or universal joint.

In surveying the earths surface for structures favorable for oil production, it has been customary, for a number of years, to employ meters whereby anomalies of a subsurface structure are detected. For example, data obtained by a gravity meter allows contours of relatively high and relatively low readings to be established around promising structures from which oil may be produced. However, when a conventional meter is adapted for prospecting oil structures below the surface of the sea, problems are encountered. For example, such meters are usually free swinging and act as a pendulum; therefore, it is diicult to bring it to rest especially when it is lowered over the side of a vessel which is subjected to wave action and into water which itself may be in a disturbed condition.

It is common practice to enclose the meter of the type mentioned above in a suitable housing to protect it from contact with the water and to obtain readings of gravity by remote control from the mechanism which is lowered to the floor of the sea. As mentioned before, employment of the meter in this manner imposes the problem of dampening the swing of the suspended mass. The problem also exists to a lesser degree when transporting this type of gravity meter over the land or on board ship.

It is, therefore, the main object of the present invention to provide apparatus for clamping and releasing by remote control a mass suspended from a universal joint or other fixed pivot points such as the gimbal suspended gravity meter.

Another object of the invention is to dampen the swing of a free swinging mass.

The objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a latching and releasing mechanism actuatable remotely so that an irregularity or protrusion on the mass may be engaged and the mass maintained in a fixed position until it is released.

Briefly, the present invention may be described as embodying a mass suspended to swing freely inside of an outer housing and a remotely controlled solenoid actuated clamping mechanism 2 v engaging and releasing a knob on the free swing ing mass.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the drawing in which- Figure 1 is a sectional view of an assembly of the present invention including the mechanism in place for lowering to the floor of the sea.

Figure 2 is a detail of the clamping mechanism in clamping position;

Figure 2A is a view of Figure 2 looking downwardly on the clamping mechanism of the clamping device;

Figure 3 is a detail of the apparatus of Figure 2 with the apparatus in release position;

Figure 3A is a view of the apparatus of Figure 3 looking downward on the apparatus in release position; and

Figure 4 is a view of another engagement means suitable for use in the clamping means of Figures 1 to 3A, inclusive.

Referring now to the drawing, numeral II designates a housing in which a mass I2, which may be any measuring device (for example, a gravity meter), is suspended by a gimbal arrangement or universal joint or other pivot points indicated by numeral I3.

'I'he housing II is Suspended by a cable I4 attached to the housing by attaching means indicated by numeral I5.

The mass I 2 is able to swing in all directions in the space IIl defined by the bell I I into positions shown by Il and I8, for example, and indicated by arrows I9 and 20. The mass I2 is provided with a knob or protrusion 2l on its lower end.

The housing II is closed by bottom plate 22 aixed by bolts or closure mechanism 23.

Aiiixed to the bottom plate 22 is a solenoid activated clamping means including an arm 25 and a lock clamp 26 engageable with the knob or protrusion 2|. Solenoid 24 is remotely controlled by switch 21 and the circuit defined by electrical lead 28, battery 29, and electrical lead 30. The electrical leads 28 and 30 pass through a plug or insulator 3| in the housing II. The solenoid activated mechanism is enclosed in housing I0.

In operating the device of the present invention, the heavy full lines defining the mass I2 in the vertical position shows the device with the clamp 26 engaging the knob 2|. When the mass I2 is free swinging, the clamp 26 'is released and the mass I2 may assume the positions indicated by numerals I1 and I 8 and shown by arrows I9 and 20. e

Figure 2 shows in detail the solenoid 24, arm 25, and clamp 26. with the clamp 26 engaging face.

the knob 2| of mass I2. The arm 25 is mounted non pivots 32-32 and biased in an upward direction by a spring 33. The tail 34 of arm 25 encloses an inclined plane 35 of a slide piece 36.

The solenoid 24 carries at the outer end of its moving core 31 a hook 38 biased downwardly by spring 39. On application of current to solenoid 24 by closing switch 21 and completing the circuit of conductors or leads 28 and 30, the core 31 retracts inward in the usual manner and, upon breaking the current, spring 40 returns the solenoid core 31 to its outward position. Upon operation of solenoid 24, slide piece 36 is pulled towards the solenoid 24 by the hook 33 which engages dog 4| on the slide 36. As slide 36 is drawn towards solenoid 24, the inclined plane 35 raises the tail 34 of arm 25 which pivots arm 25 to release knob 2| of mass lI2. In traveling to this position, the slide 36 is engaged by latch 42 whichy holds slide 36 by-means of notch 43 in lock-back vposition at the same time moving into the path of the returning hook 38 and causing hook 38 to be raised and placed in a position on top of latch 42 at the end of the return stroke of solenoid core 31. This operation will be described more completely with reference to Figures 3 and 3A.

Referring now to Figure 3, on actuation of solenoid 24, hook 38 moves latch -42 out against its loading spring 44 thereby releasing slide 36v -which'is drawn back to its original position by spring 45 before hook 38 has cleared the latch 42. Hook 38 then clears 42 and falls down on slide 36 to return on the release stroke of solenoid core 31 to jump dog 4| on slide 36 to its original position in readiness for another cycle of the operation. This release of slide 36 causes the Itail 34 of arm 25 to be lowered from the position shown in Figure 3 thereby allowing spring 33 to raise clamp 26 to encircle knob 2| of mass I2. In'- this position, in the event that knob 2| is not in position to be caught, the knob'2I of mass I2 can nd the opening 46 of clamp 26 by striking the arcuate surface 68 of arm 25and clamp 26 camming the clamp assembly 25 and 26 downward toward plate 22 and thus permitting the knob 2| to enter the hole 46 of-clamp 26.

While the solenoid arrangement has been shown as actuating an arm which pivots a clamp, it may be possible in other types of housing designs to use other solenoid actuated engaging means for holding mass I2 in a xed position within housing I Another objective of this invention is to provide means for shortening the time necessary to bring mass I2 to rest. Referring to Figure 4, this objective is accomplished as follows. Arm 25 is provided with a concave upward cup 6| which in turn is provided with a liner of frictional material 62 and the radius of curvatures of the bottom of mass I2 and cup 6| are the same. The radii are defined by the distance from the suspensionv point of the mass I2 to its bottom sur- The solenoid is operated to raise arm 25 and consequently cup 6| against bottom of mass I2 where frictional liner 62 acts to decrease the amplitude of oscillations of mass I2. -Upon release of cup 6| mass I2 is permitted to come to rest after a few oscillations of small amplitude.

While not shown in the drawing or described in the description, it will be apparent to the skilled worker that the gravity meter mass I2 must be equipped with pig-tail leads from the mass I2 to the gimbal or universal joint I3 which will lead away from the case or bell I by electri- -mations including a diving bell, a gimbal suspension, a meter suspended in the diving bell by the gimbal suspension, the lower portion of the meter dening a contact surface having its center on the same vertical line as the center point of the gimbal suspension when the diving bell is level, the combination with said diving bell of a clamping arm pivoted to the diving bell and dening a contact surface engaged with the contact surface of the meter when the vertical axes of the meter and the diving bell coincide and the arm is in a rst position and wholly out of contact with the meter when the arm is in a second position, a spring means biasing the arm to its rst position, a solenoid, releasable means actuated by the solenoid for retaining the arm in its second position and releasablel to allow it to assume its rst position and a switching means located remotely from and outside said diving bell for actuating said solenoid and connected electrically therewith.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the lower portion of the meter defines a nob having an axis coinciding with the axis of the gimbal suspension when the driving bell is level and in which the clamping arm denes a hole to engage said nob.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the contact surface of the meter is spherical with the radius of curvature defined by the distance of the suspension point of the meter to said spherical surface and in which the clamping arm denes a friction surface having the same radius of curvature as the spherical surface of the meter and engageable therewith.

4. In a device for prospecting subsurface formations which comprises a diving bell, a gimbal suspension, a meter mounted in the diving bell by said gimbal suspension with the lower portion of the meter dening a contact surface having its center on the same vertical line as the center point of the gimbal suspension when the diving bell is level, the combination with said diving bell of a clamping arm pivoted to the diving bell and defining a contact surface engaged with the contact surface of the meter when the vertical axes of the meter and diving bell coincide and the arm is in a rst position and wholly out of contact with the meter when the arm is in a second position, a iirst spring means biasing the clamping arm to its first position, a slide member slidable from a nrst to a second position and arranged to cooperate with said clamping arm to move it from its iirst to its second position upon said slidable movement. a second spring means arranged to bias said slide from its second to its rst position, a releasable lock arranged to hold saidv slide in its second position, a solenoid, a switching means located remotely from and outside sad diving bell for actuating said solenoid and connected electrically therewith, a catch activated by said solenoid arranged to move said slide from its rst to its second position and to release the slide from the lock when the lock is holding said slide into second position.

5. A device in accordance with claim 4 in which the lower portion of the meter denes a nob having an axis coinciding with the axis of the gimbal suspension when thediving bell is level andin eccome which the clamping armdenes a hole to engage said nob. REFERENCES CITED 6. A device in accordance with claim 4 in which the contact surface of the meter is spherical mlef glilsonferens are of record m the with the radius of curvature dened by the dis- 5 y, tance of the-suspension point of the meter to said UNITED .STATES PA'IENTS sperical surface and in which the clamping arm Number Name Date denes a friction surface have the same radius 2,081,055 Kiracofe May 18, 1937 of curvature as the spherical surface cf the meter '2,383,966 Hasbrook Sept. 4. 1945 and engageable therewith. 10

ADELBERT BARRY. 

